Locomotive equalizer



' Oct. 27,1925- 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 27, 1925- w. w. SLOANE LOCOMOTIVE EQUALIZER Filed Dec 8, 1923 2 Sheets-$heet 2 Patented Oct. 27, 1925.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM w. SLOANE, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIGNoR T0 GOODMAN MANUFACTUR- ING COMPANY, OF CHIC GO, ILLINOIS, A CORIOBATION OF ILLINOIS.

LOCOMOTIVE EQUALIZER.

T 0 all whomit may concern:

Be it known thatI, IVILLIAM W. SLoANE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Locomotive Equalizers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in locomotives or trucks and has for its principal object to provide an improved construction affording relative flexibility of the supporting wheels and axles so as to readily follow uneven track.

A usual type of construction of locomotives comprises a plurality of axles with supporting wheels thereon, said axles journaled in suitable axle boxes mounted in vertically disposed guides carried by the loco motive frame and having springs interposed between each axle box and the frame. Such a construction allows the ends of an axle to move vertically a limited distance, depending upon the resiliency of the springs, thereby affording limited flexibility of movement of opposite ends of the axle.

In the present invention I provide an improved and simplified construction for equalizing devices of the character above described, wherein the vertically movable spring supports are mounted-in guides fixed to the frame and pivotal connections are provided between such supports and the frame, comprising bell crank levers.

The invention may be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of one type of locomotive constructed in accordance with my invention, with parts shown in section.

Figure 2 is a side view in outline of a two-axle locomotive to which my improved equalizing device is applied.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a transverse longitudinal cross section taken on line 44 of Figure 3.

In the drawings a simple embodiment of my invention is shown as applied to a twoaxle locomotive shown in Figure 2. A portion of this locomotiveis shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, in which appear two side plates 2, 2, constituting the main portion of the frame, an axle 3 and a pair of supporting wheels 4-, 4 thereof, A motor ,is contained in a casing 5 suspended on the axle 3 to pro vide motive power therefor, said motor being journaled on one end on the shaft 3 and flexibly connected at the other end to the locomotive frame in any manner suitable for a locomotive of the type illustrated.

Each end of each of the axles is journaled in a journal box 6 of any approved construction, said axle box being arranged to move slidably between side plates 7 7 of the usual construction.

- The locomotive frame is supported on the journal boxes 6, 6 through the medium of an equalizing device constructed as-follows:

A pair of rocking members 8, 8 are mountr;

ed on the frame above their respective axle boxes.

mounted to swing in a vertical plane transversely of the locomotive. The rocking members are pivotally mounted on the frame by means of two bearing pins 9, 9 supported in brackets 10, 10 carried on the side plates 2, 2 of said frame. One end of the rocking member 8, 8 comprises a lever arm 12 which in the form shown extends downwardly from the axis of its respective pivot pin 9, and another arm 13 extending o-utwardly from said pivot pin. The lower ends of the lever arms 12, 12 are connected by a transverse equalizing bar; 18. The, outer ends of the lever arms 13 have bearing support on the upper surface 14 of a vertically.

movable member 15 contained between 0-ppositely disposed guide plates 16 and 17 at tached tothe frame. This member is provided with a stirrup 19 at its lower end bearing on the upper ends of the supporting springs 20, 20, which may be of any suitable form such as helical springs or their equivalent. These springs bear upon the upper ends of the journal boxes 6, 6 in the usual manner.

In the construction shown it will be observed that the spring supporting members 15 are guided for vertical movement respective to the frame and the stirrup 19 for the springs is offset laterally so as to permit the journal boxes and springs to be widely separated thereby affording more room for the motor driving and the mechanism between the side plates. This construction also permits wide variation in the design of the locomotive. It will also be observed that the outer end of the bell crank lever arms 13,

Each of said rocking members con stitutes in effect a bell crank lever pivotally.

13 is free to slide along the bearing surfaces gi l, l l of the respective spring supporting members 15, 15 during the rocking move ment of the bell crank levers relative to the supporting members 15, 15.

It will be seen that any rtical displacement of one end of the axle caused by aneven track will result in a corresponding displacement of the opposite end of the axle in a reverse direction. free to swing a limited distance in a transverse plane irrespective of the resiliency of the springs.

In applying my invention to a locomotive of the two-axle type shown in Figure 2, the supporting axle 3 is preferablymounted in the'usnal manner, that is to say, Without an equalizing device, so as to provide the desired stability to the frame, While the other axle 3 is mounted as above described so as to afford a Wide range of flexibility with respect to the frame and the one stabilizing aide connectedtherewith in the usual manner; v

Althoughl'haveshown and described one form' in which my invrntion may be embodied it Will be understood that the con structionand arrangement of the parts may be altered Without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. I do not therefore Wish to be understood as limiting myself'to the specific construction herein disclosed, except as limited in the appended claims.

I' claim as my invention:

1; Ina car, a frame, anaxle having sup porting Wheels, journal boxes adjacent th ends of said'axle, guide means on said frame permitting limited vertical: movement of said journal boxes,- an equalizing devicecomprising a pair of rockinginembers each plvotally mountedon said frame at oppo- The axle is thus site ends of said axle, and means operably connecting said rocking members belov. their resp:ctive axes 2. In a car, a frame, an axle movable in substantial v rtical plane with respect to said frame,journal boxes adjacent the ends of said axle, guide means for said journal boxes, an equalizing device comprising a pair of rockin members, means operably connectin said rocking members, a pair ofvertically movable members mounted at opposite sides of saidframe, one of said members having-sliding. tngagenient with one of said rocking n embers and the oppositely di posed member having sliding engagement with the other of said rocking in nbers, and guide means on the frame. said vertically movable members.

3. In a car, a frame, trio laterally spaced axles movable in substantial vertical planes with respect to said frame, journal box s adjacent the ends of said axles, guide means on said frame permitting limited vertical movement of said journal boxes, an equalizing device comprising a pair of rocking members each pivotally mounted on said frame at opposite ends of one of said axles, means operably connecting said rocking members, a pa r of vertically movable munbers mounted a opposite ends of said axle and'cach having a bearing surface slidably coacting vvith one of the ends of its respective, recking member, guide means mounted on said frame for each of said vertically movable members, andetension means interposed between said vertically movable members and. said journal boxes.

Signed at Chicago, in thecountyof Cook and State oflllinois,this 5th day of December, A. D. 1923.

\VILLIAM \V. SLQANT. 

